Combined musical instrument.



E. S. VOTEY. COMBINED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION man MAY 13, I910.

Patented Dec 28, 1915.

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COMBINED MUSlCAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I3, 1910.

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COMBINED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l3. I910.

Patented Dec. 28, L915,

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EDWIN S. VOTEY, OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

COMBINED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 28, 1915.

Application filed May 13, 1910. Serial No. 561,161.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN S. VOTEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined musical instruments, such for example as a piano or player piano, and a mechanism for the reproduction of the human voice or sounds, as for instance a phonograph or g'raphophone.

One object of the invention is to provide for a compact and convenient arrangement of a. mechanism for the reproduction of the human voice or sounds, within the casing of the piano where access to said mechanism may be had with "facility and convenience for the purpose of adjusting said mechanism when desired, and for changing the records thereof.

A further object of the invention is to combine the two instruments in such a manner that the sounds of said instruments may be properly mingled tor the purpose of producing harmonious effects. and to this end the piano is provided with a sound-blending chamber in rear of the sounding board into which chamber the sounds from the human voice reproducing mechanism are conveyed, and from which chamber they are discharged through an opening formed in a wall oi the piano casing.

Briefly and generally stated, the invention comprises a piano or player piano, having an opening in a wall of the casing thereof, a record-controlled mechanism for the reproduction of the human voice or sounds, located within said casing, and a sound-conducting passage within the casing leading from the said mechanism and having its outlet end registering with said opening.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a piano with a phonograph installed according to my invention. parts of the casing being broken away, and other parts being in section for the showing oi the interior mechanisms. Fig. 2 is a view of the front elevation of the upper part of the casing, showing its relation to the interior mechanisms. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 a vertical longitudinal section on line 4, 4, of Fig. 3,

and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a piano showing a modification of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the strings of the piano; 11, the sounding board therefor, which is supported by upper and lower bolsters l2 and 13; 14: is the hammer action of the piano, and 15, the key levers for use in the manual operation of the same. Means as provided for playing the piano automatically is shown in the form of a pneumatic playing mechanism comprising a power supplying pump 16, pneumaties 17 associated with the wippens of the action, and a controlling record sheet 18 driven by a pneumatic motor 19 (Figs. 1 and 3).

In the upperpart of the casing of the piano and above the key levers, I mount the phonograph 20, preferably supporting it from one end of the casing on a shelf 21 directly attached to that end. In the front of the casing opposite the phonograph, I provide an opening 22 normally closed by neat double doors 23. This opening is duplicated on the opposite side of the piano for the sake of neatness of design and symmetry, and is preferably of such size that the phonograph may be removed bodily through it, and always of such size that records for the phonograph may be readily placed through it.

Back of the sounding board and between the uprights 24, I form a chamber 25 for the confinement of a suitably proportioned body of air. From the sound producing or diaphragm member 26 of the phonograph (see Figs. 3 and 4:), I pass a flexible sound directing conduit 27 to the sounding board in which I form an opening 28 leading to a passage-way 29 communicating by means of a flaring opening 30 with the chamber 25.

The lowerwvalls of the chamber 25 I form converging downwardly toward each other, and at the lowermost extremity of the chamber, provide an outlet 31 through the front of the sounding board. I seat a horn 32 which constitutes the sound conveying member of the phonographin the opening 81, fitting it to make good mechanical contact, and support the discharge end of the horn by the front of the casing. of thepiano which is provided with an opening 33 closed by a lattice work or screen 34 at this point.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3, the conduit 27, passage-way 29, sound-blending chamber 25, and horn 3 21, talren to- I piano casing and has its outlet end in register with the openingfig in the casing of the piano beneath the keybed. 1

In operation, a record is placed upon the phonograph, and the. phonograph is wound through the doors 23. The corresponding perforated music sheet 18 is also placed with the mechanism of the piano, and the instruments are ready to play. The phonograph is started and with it the piano, both of them by hand in the usual manner, care being taken to start the piano so that it will commence playing, as nearly as possible, at a certain point with. the phonograph. The music having begun, the musical time of the piano is adjusted by means of a tempolever 35, shown in Fig. 1 to accord with the musical time of the phonograph. Thus the two instruments are made to play together in the same musical time.

i l/hen the piano is playing or being played (for the piano may be operated manually to accompany the phonograph), the sounding board is .in vibration. This vibration sets up sound vibrations of a very intense character in the chamber 25 in the rear of the sounding board 11. Sound vibrations from the phonograph are projected through the conduit 27 and the passage way 29 into chamber 25. Within the chamber 25, the

sounds of the two instruments are thoroughly blended. Fromthis chamber sounds are projected through the horn 32 and out of the piano casing.

The chamber 25 is an enlargement between the passage way 29 and the outlet of the horn 32. Moreover, the chamber 25 and the passage way 29 greatly lengthen the passage of the sound from the phonograph to the outer air. Both of these causes act to bar out harsh sounds from the music. The harsh sounds are usually the weakest sounds produced by a phonograph, and they are practically destroyed or overpowered in the passage way and in the enlarged blending chamber 25. I i

I desire particularly to call attention to this fact, to wit, that I have in combination, an instrument (a piano) capable of producing a relatively great volume of sound, and an instrument (a phonograph) capable of producing a relatively less volume of sound. it have directed the sound of the lesser or 'minor instrument to the sounding board of the sound of the phonograph to the sounding board oi the piano. To do the reverse, would be a far less efficient practical method oi accomplishing the. results of my invention.

meagre Fig. 5 shows a modification of my inverse than in which l.v do away with the blending chamber back of the sounding board, and rely upon the action of the vibrating air within the casing of the piano upon the reproducing diaphragm of the phonograph and upon the sounding horn. in this case the outlet end of the sounding horn registers with the opening in the front of the casing, said opening being closed by the doors 23. I

What I claim as new is:

1. A self-playing upright piano having a casing inclosing the hammer-action, strings, and automatic player mechanism, said casing being provided with an opening in a front wall thereof, a record-controlled mechanism for the reproduction. of recorded soundssupported within the upper part of the casing in front of the piano strings and above the hammers, and a sound-conducting horn also within the casing leading from the said reproducing mechanism and having its outlet end located in advance of the piano strings and in register with the opening in the casing to discharge the sounds therethrough.

2. A self-playing piano having a casing provided with an opening in a wall thereof below the piano key-bed, a record-controlled mechanism for the reproduction of recorded sounds located in said casing above the piano key-bed, and a sound-conducting passage within the casing leading from the said mechanism and having its outlet end. registering with said opening.

3. A self-playing piano having a casing provided with an opening in a wall thereof at a point below the piano keybed, a record-controlled mechanism for the reproduction of recorded sounds located within said casing above the piano key-bed, and a sound conducting passage for conveying the sounds from said mechanism to the opening in the casing.

i. A self-playing piano having a casing provided with an opening in a wall thereof, a record-controlled mechanism for the reproduction of recorded sounds located within said casing, and a sound-conducting pa sage within the casing leading from the said mechanism and having its outlet in regv ister with said opening, said passage includ,

ing a sound-blending chamber. I

5. A self-playing piano having a cas'in provided'with an opening in a wall thereof, a record-controlled mechanism for the reproduction of recorded sounds located within ,said casing, and a sound conducting passage within the casing leading from the said mechanism and having its outlet in register with said opening, said passage including a soundblending chamber and a horn.

6. A selfiplaying pia-nohaving acasing provided with an opening in a wall thereof,

a record controlled mechanism for the reproduction of recorded sounds located within said casing, and a sound conducting passage within the casin'" leading from the said mechanism and having its outlet in reg ist er with said openin said passage including a sound-blending chamber and a horn said horn being located below the piano key-bed.

7. In combination with a self-playing upright piano having an opening in a wall of the easiiig thereof, a record-eontrollcd mechanism for the reproduction of recorded sounds located within said casing, a soundblending chamber formed between the sounding board of the piano and the back of the casing, means for conducting sounds from the said mechanism into said chamber, and a horn leading from said chamber and having its outlet end in register with the opening in the casing.

8. In combination with a piano having a casing provided with an opening in a wall thereof, a phonograph arranged in said easing, a chamber formed betweenthe pianosounding board and the back of the casing.

means for conducting sounds from the phonograph into said chamber. and an outlet passage leadingfrom saidv chamber haw ing its outlet end in register with the said opening in the wall of the piano easing.

9. The combination with a piano having a casing, of a phonograph in the casing, a chamber formed between the sounding board of the piano and the back of'the casing, means for conducting sounds from the easing leading from said mechanism and discharging through an opening ina wall of the casing beneath the piano key-bed.,'

said passage including a sound-blending chamber.

ll. A self-playing piano having a easing provided with an opening in the front wall thereof above the key board. closure for said opening, a supporting member within the casing adjacent to said opening, a mechanism tor the reproduction of recorded sounds carried by said supporting member. and a sound conducting passage within the casing leading from said mechanism and discharging through an opening in a wall oi the casing beneath the piano key-bed. said passage including a siaintt blending chamber and a horn.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set urv hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDVVTN S. VOTEY.

\Yitnesses:

(lico. D. liI-IA'VIYS, lloiuer. (l. Sierra. 

